Europeans should be able to travel with the European health passport and without having to undergo quarantine this summer. What about the kids ? Also called European health and tourism pass, it can be used in digital version as well as in paper format for trips abroad to and from France. Info, effective date and usage.

Summary First version Mandatory or not In France To travel in Europe To go to Spain To go to Corsica To travel outside the EU Paper or digital version Allanticovid Carnet

[Updated on 31 May 2021 at 10: 27 a.m.] The European Commission has ” welcomed “the provisional political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council”on the regulation governing the EU digital Covid certificate”. This means that the certificate (formerly called the Digital Green Certificate) is “on track to be ready by the end of June”. 

Much anticipated by the countries most dependent on tourism, and initially suggested by Greece, the European health passport is intended to provide a harmonised framework to facilitate travel within the Union this summer and is expected to enter into force from 1 July. The Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs, Clément Beaune, recalled that some vaccines will not be taken into account by the health passport. This is particularly the case with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which is not authorised by the European Medicines Agency. He also claimed that the health passport would be “fully operational by 1 July in all 27 EU countries”.

However, the question of the European health passport for children arises. Is a negative PCR test needed for younger children even if both adults are vaccinated ? Many countries set the minimum age to take the exam at 6, but there are exceptions. Portugal asks for a negative result for holidaymakers from two years, while Scotland, a non-EU member, sets this limit at 11 years. Conversely, children under 6 years of age are exempt from negative PCR testing in Greece, the same in Spain. It is best to check the entry conditions of the destination country before departure.

What will the future European vaccine passport look like ?

According to a poll published by Le Parisien in mid-January, 62% of French people voted in favour of compulsory vaccination for people wishing to fly abroad. Since then, the question of a health passport has been talked about a lot : what is the name to give it, will it be mandatory to travel in Europe ? The” digital green certificate”, a European Union version health passport, was unveiled by the Commissioner Thierry Breton in charge of vaccines in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The first version of the health certificate that will be implemented this summer was presented at the end of March. On smartphone or on paper, it will include a QR code, your name and surname, date of birth, gender, passport number, social security number and the type of vaccine with the date of injection of doses if you have been vaccinated.

Is the European health certificate mandatory ?

Thierry Breton indicated that the health passport would not be mandatory. Above all, it is supposed to facilitate travel within the European Union and speed up a general reopening. Thus, it can be requested before boarding a flight, or crossing a border. Only in the absence of a certificate, a negative Covid test will be required to ensure that you are not a carrier of the virus : “We are developing in parallel a capacity to have rapid antigenic tests. [ … ] We are investing very heavily, ” he assured.

Is there a difference between the European health certificate and the national health certificate ?

If the name has changed significantly and may be confusing, the European health certificate and the national health certificate are indeed the same document. The Secretary of State for European Affairs gave details about this on his Twitter account at the end of April : “We are working on a European pass that will not be a second document, it will be the same thing [..] and at European level this will allow more travel, freedom, travel especially for this summer, for tourism, for holidays.”

Read the article

Health pass and Covid: children affected to travel

Will we be able to travel in Europe without the European health certificate ?

Promoting movement within the European Union but not preventing travel, the European health certificate will therefore not be mandatory for travel in Europe

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR